


plausible deniability

by icantbelieveitsfanfic



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Agravaine Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Crack, Everyone Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Gen, Leon Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), SPOILERY TAGS:, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24643129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icantbelieveitsfanfic/pseuds/icantbelieveitsfanfic
Summary: It was ridiculous, really. After the trouble Merlin had caused them, after the years and fury Morgana had pitted against him, after the ranting Agravaine had suffered through, the boy's downfall would be caused by carelessly performing magic in the king's chambers.Magic.In the king's chambers.Merlin.Or, Things Are Finally Looking Up For Agravaine. And there isno waythat idiot servant is wriggling out of it this time.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 274





	1. Chapter 1

It was ridiculous, really. After the trouble Merlin had caused them, after the years and fury Morgana had pitted against him, after the ranting Agravaine had suffered through, the boy's downfall would be caused by carelessly performing magic in the king's chambers.

Magic.

In the king's chambers.

Merlin.

If he didn't have a specific role to play (betrayed, disgusted, a hint of fear), Agravaine would have laughed aloud as he dragged the skinny, babbling servant through the doors to the council chambers and dumped him before the startled court of Camelot.

"What's this?" Arthur asked, eyebrows drawing together.

"I found him in your chambers," Agravaine said (low, respectful, a hint of sorrow for the betrayal of his nephew's trust). "Using _magic_ to polish your armour."

Arthur glared at his manservant, whose babbling instantly dried up. "You found him using magic?"

(Gentle, regretful.) "I'm sorry, Arthur. I know you trusted him."

Leon cleared his throat. "Is it possible, my lord, that you were mistaken? I can attest that the sun can reflect off armour in a most disorienting manner."

The First Knight of Camelot would be one of the first to go under Morgana's rule. He and Gwen had rebelled against her the last time she was here, and Agravaine knew Morgana would never forgive that. For that reason, and that reason only, he managed to maintain his expression. "Unfortunately not, Sir Leon. The armour was floating and fell with a distinct noise once he saw I had entered the room."

There was a pause. Agravaine enjoyed the furious look Arthur was sending Merlin, who still knelt silently.

"Of course," he added helpfully, when the king did not respond further, "as per Camelot's laws, sorcerers are to be burned. I'm sorry to say it, as I'm sure his spell was merely to get out of his duties, but you do know that magic corrupts. We cannot take that risk, my lord." Oh, Merlin should _never_ have dabbled in things so far beyond his understanding, and now he was going to pay.

Gaius, the meddling old fool, stepped forward. "Merlin has worked loyally in the service of Camelot for years, Lord Agravaine—"

"He has made the first steps into sorcery, Gaius. There is no going back from that."

"Considering," Arthur said, slowly, "how long he has served me, I cannot in all good conscience condemn him to burn. If it was only one spell—it isn't as though he has a history with magic—"

He'd expected something like that. Arthur's feeling of betrayal would be tempered by the weakness in his heart. He would have to push, but not too hard: he had to look sympathetic to Arthur's plight, not as breathlessly eager as he felt. "It is hard to see this kind of betrayal in people close to you, Arthur. Your father himself had many he considered friends turn against him. No one expects you to enjoy it, but for the sake of Camelot, I would suggest that stability—the _law_ —be upheld."

A deep sigh from Arthur as he ran his hand across his face. "As always, I don't know what I'd do without your support and council, uncle, painful though it is. Merlin, you are charged with using magic against the laws of Camelot. Due to the services you have provided Camelot as Apprentice Physician and your years of service towards me, I spare you from the death of the pyre. You are banished from Camelot, to return under pain of death. Leave by nightfall." He took a long breath and stared over Merlin's head at the assembled council. "If you show your face before me again, I will be obliged to execute you myself."

In the resulting chaos, Agravaine allowed himself one small smile and an internal jig.

Watching Merlin led out of the throne room with his arms gripped tight by Arthur's favourite knights was one of the most satisfying moments of his life in Camelot thus far.


	2. Chapter 2

"Arthur?" Agravaine pushed open the door to his nephew's chambers without waiting for an answer to his knock. "There has been a messenger arrive from King—"

Both Arthur and Merlin looked up from where the king was sitting at his desk, eating breakfast.

What. _What._ What—

"Arthur, you banished him, why is he _still here_?"

Arthur frowned. "Who?"

"M—who? Merlin, Arthur! Merlin!" Agravaine gestured wildly at the manservant holding the tray with Arthur's dirty dishes. If Merlin knew more magic than he'd thought—if he knew enough to have actually enchanted Arthur—Morgana would _not_ be pleased with the update. She had already levelled her cottage upon hearing Merlin had learned a few spells. He'd had to describe in detail the look on Arthur's face as he banished Merlin before she would calm. It helped that the servant hadn't been sent to the pyre, so Morgana could continue her terrifyingly specific plans for his death.

Arthur looked bemused. "…Merlin?"

The manservant looked bemused. "I don’t understand, my lord Agravaine?"

" _What have you done to Arthur,_ " Agravaine hissed.

"He's—he's right here, my lord Agravaine?"

"Have you enchanted him? How did you get back into the castle? Arthur, you have to get hold of yourself—"

" _Honestly_ , uncle!" Arthur's tone was mildly rebuking. Agravaine wanted to slap him. "I'm perfectly fine, not at all enchanted. Why would I be enchanted, what are you talking about?"

"I'm—it's—" Agravaine gestured at Merlin again. "Him! Merlin! The one you banished and swore to execute if he returned. Tell me you remember that."

"Of course I remember that." Popping the last bite of bread into his mouth, Arthur pushed the plate across his desk, and Merlin picked it up and balanced it on his tray. "But this isn't Merlin, uncle. This is my new manservant. Martin."

Martin gave a little wave around his tray.

Agravaine gaped for several seconds before regaining control of his expression. "Leon!" he bellowed. The man's irritating tendency to always be present when anything happened could at least be useful this once.

Sure enough, Leon poked his stupidly earnest face around the door almost immediately.

"Arrest Merlin," Agravaine commanded. "Arrest him, and throw him in the dungeons, and _do a better job of getting rid of him this time_."

Leon looked bemused. "Lord Agravaine, I escorted Merlin from Camelot myself. Is there a problem?"

"Is there a—you—this— _Merlin_!"

"My uncle has just met Martin," Arthur put in. He lowered his voice—a pointless and undoubtedly supercilious endeavour, since Leon stood on the _other side_ of Agravaine. "He seems to think my new manservant is Merlin. Is it possible he has been enchanted, do you think?"

Tipping his head, Leon studied Agravaine. "I'm no expert, but anything is possible when it comes to magic. Do you really think this is outside his normal range of behaviour, though?"

When Morgana enacted whatever diabolical plan she had in mind for the First Knight of Camelot, Agravaine would _beg_ to be personally involved. He would look Leon in the eye, and he would breathe in the stench of pain, and he would—

Arthur and Leon were staring at him.

"Your teeth are bared," Martin said, his tone helpful and as bright as his neckerchief. "It's kinda freaky, actually."

* * *

When Agravaine lunged forward, sword and spittle flying, the king had to step in to help his First Knight restrain him.

(If the sword glowed red-hot and was dropped with a curse, well, they were too occupied with restraining the man's increasing frenzies of rage to look around for whose eyes may or may not have been glowing gold.)

When he was put in the dungeons, "for the safety of everyone involved, just until Gaius discovers how to lift the enchantment," the king remembered two days later that he had yet to inform his physician of the task.

(If it took another week before he could get to Gaius' chambers to officially request that he investigate, well, a king's schedule was a full one and things could occasionally slip one's mind.)

When, during the next castle-shaking attack on Camelot, Agravaine disappeared, it was definitely of his own doing and a whole string of people—up to and including the king—would have, if asked, sworn Martin-not-Merlin was absolutely definitely Elsewhere when it happened, as were they themselves.

(If the people of Camelot wondered why the king ordered not a single patrol out to look for his uncle, well, no one ever mentioned it.)

(After years of Uther, followed by Agravaine, the people of Camelot knew the importance of plausible deniability.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What happened to Agravaine, I'll let you decide.
> 
> [also why are my chapters so short, I'm sorry]


End file.
